DAMAGE DETECTION AND ACTIVE CONTROL SYSTEMS FOR SMART AEROSPACE STRUCTURES

MISSION RESEARCH CORPORATION (MRC) PROPOSES AN SBIR PHASE I EFFORT THAT WILL INITIATE THE DEVELOPMENT OF INNOVATIVE TECHNIQUES FOR SENSING DAMAGE IN COMPOSITE STRUCTURES. THESE TECHNIQUES WILL INCLUDE CONVENTIONAL PIEZIORESISTIVE (STRAIN GAGE) AND FIBER OPTIC STRAIN MEASUREMENT. BROKEN GRAPHITE FIBERS WILL BE DETECTED BY CONDUCTING ELECTRIC CURRENT THROUGH THEM. AN OPEN CIRCUIT WILL INDICATE A DISCONTINUOUS FIBER. MRC WILL ALSO INVESTIGATE OTHER METHODS OF STRAIN AND PROPERTIES MEASUREMENT. ONCE PRELIMINARY INSTRUMENTATION IS CHOSEN, GRAPHITE EPOXY TENSILE BARS WILL BE MADE, EACH USING A DIFFERENT TECHNIQUE. TENSILE BARS WILL BE MADE FOR EACH METHOD UNTIL IT IS EITHER PERFECTED OR REJECTED. ONCE SENSING TECHNIQUES HAVE BEEN SELECTED, THEY WILL BE INCORPORATED INTO A GRAPHITE EPOXY PANEL. A COMPUTER PROGRAM WILL BE DEVELOPED, FOR THE MRC DATA ACQUISITION SYSTEM, TO RUN THE SMART PANEL. ONCE THE PANEL AND PROGRAM ARE DEBUGGED, A FINAL DEMONSTRATION PANEL WILL BE FABRICATED. PHASE II OF THE STUDY WILL BE TO USE FEEDBACK FROM SENSORS FOR ACTIVE MANIPULATION OF A STRUCTURE USING ACTUATORS.